Various devices and methods have been developed to remove accumulating liquids from oil and gas wells. One such device is a lift plunger, or simply a plunger, that is displaced within a well to lift accumulating liquids from the well. Plungers typically travel at high speeds in wells (for example, 1000 feet per minute or greater) and abruptly stop at the top and bottom of wells. As a result, plungers are subjected to relatively high forces that may cause rapid wear or damage in operation. These forces, and the resulting wear or damage, can be particularly problematic for bypass plungers, which include moveable components to permit fluid passage through the plungers to reduce resistance and increase plunger speed when falling to the bottom of wells. As a result, there is a continuing need for improvements to plungers.